ID needed for Tiny Roman AR

I recently acquired this little silver coin. I've never seen anything like it, what seems to be Victory on the reverse and a left facing bearded bust on the obverse. There is an old chip over the face of the bust and is clipped. That brings it's attributes to only 12mm and 0.83 grams! If anyone can help, I'd be glad to hear what they have to say.

,Matt

 

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This one is very strange, maybe it was a commemorative series coin? It looks late Roman , are you sure it is a solid AR type metal or is it "silvered"?

Edit: Obverse could also be struct over an existing Roman coin.

 

Never seen anything by like it. Reverse looks like a SPES REIPBVLICAE, but legend don’t match. So strange. Never seem silver get that small

 

The obverse is really unusual. My first thought is (uncertain) medieval obverse struck over a clipped siliqua. I've searched a while online, but couldnt find anything resembling the obverse.

 

Bump. I really want to know what the he’ll this is

 

It looks a bit like this one, but the armor and shield design is different. An obverse with bust left and holding a spear over the shoulder is less common than others.
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3337254

 

I've been running in circles for a while now and still found nothing as a match. It could be silvered for all I know, but it does have the chip and looks silver inside as well. The only thing I've found are these quinarii of probus. Still not exact though as victory has a globe on mine and there is no shield with the bust.

 

The ornate armor is a big outlier, I can't seem to find anything like it. It does have a late roman look to the face. I'm not too versed on that. Could it be a fractional siliqua?

 

if you don't mind, what's the source for this coin?

 

I got it from an older collector who is letting go of areas of his collection. He hadn't identified it himself. It's been in private view for a while.

 

The small size might indicate quinarius, but it’s so odd. Maybe it’s a reduced aureus struck in silver as a test strike, or meant for menial circulation?

 

My initial thoughts: a Bulgarian fantasy

 

I see you’re a fan of the Razor of Occam…

 

I wonder if we can parse the lettering and narrow down a max and min letters. Would help to narrow down the supposed emperor portrayed and help us move forward with possible ID.

the rev looks much like a SPES REIPVBLICAE of Constantius II, which I don’t recall on coins of probus.

it combines an INVICTO—- rev motif with an emperor holding globe, which i personally don’t recognize.

 

Ditto, and how do we know it is silver and not some leaded pot metal?

 

Could that be Jupiter holding the globe? Something appears behind him...

 

Are there other fantasy pieces struck and this small? I personally am confused as I highly doubt it was cast as it has flow lines and signs of poor aging. The size is very small and I see no reason to make something that small as a fantasy piece. The thought that it could be barbarous has crossed my mind however.

 

From what is visible I can read on the obverse, "IM(P) -----(S) AUG"
And on the reverse, "VICTO----"

 

If barbarous, that’s extremely well done with incredibly details for something so small.

 

Forgers make all sizes, for example http://www.ebay.com/sch/miromanas-0/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

and another
http://www.ebay.com/sch/natstojil_0/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

There are dozens more from Europe and the Mediterranean that sell for a cheap price to unsuspecting buyers with fake feedback.